The Spread of Islam

1. The Spread of Islam

2. Arabia Before Muhammad • Pastoral nomads (Bedouins) • Tribal society • Caravan trade important (incense), • Mediterranean • Middle East • East Africa • India • Mecca major economic center • Arab tribes under political influence of Byzantine (Christian) and Sasanid empire (Zoroastrian)

3. Byzantine and Sassanid Empire around 600 CE

4. Muhammad´s Life and Teachings • Muhammad former merchant, began to have revelations by archangel Gabriel • Main features: • Arab decent traced to Ishmael, Abraham´s son • strictly monotheistic • promise of heaven after death • five pillars • Fasting • prayer 5 times a day • Almsgiving • confession of faith • pilgrimage to Mecca • universal religion, egalitariansim • Elite in Mecca forces Mohammed to flee to Medina (622 CE, HIJRA, beginning of Muslim calendar)

5. Muslim Expansion • Mohammad unites Arab tribes, • conquers Mecca in 630, dies 632 • First four succesors (caliphs) expand territory • Middle East • North Africa • Persia • Caliphs are leaders of all Muslims, political and religious (theocracy)

6. Success possible because of exhausting war between Persia (Sassanids) and Byzantium, motivated soldiers, ingenious military leadership, indifferent population • Quarrels over succession lead to split into Sunni and Shia (Ali´s followers) • Shia: mostly in Persia, southern Iraq • Sunni: majority of Muslims

7. Muslim Expansion 632-750

8. Umayyad Dynasty (652-750) • Capital in Damascus • Wars against Byzantium • Conquest of Spain, further advances stopped by Franks in 732 • Arabic official language of government • Conversions encouraged • Non-Muslims pay a special head tax, but not forced to convert • Judaism and Christianity tolerated

9. Great Mosque in Damascus

10. Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258) • Supported by Shiites, although Sunni • New capital Baghdad • First 100 years golden age of Muslim culture • Argument between ulama and caliph about who should have the final say in religious matters • Caliph renounces his final authority in religious matters • Counter caliph in Cordoba, Spain • Regional loyalties, problems with Shiites,rise of new dynasties, and difficulty to control a large empire lead to gradual decline

11. Government • Rulers legitimate power by upholding shari’a law • Caliph is Muhammad’s successor • Arab military camps control conquered areas • Non-Muslims pay head tax • After conquest of Persia, Abbasids rely on Persian bureaucrats • Taxation of agricultural production • Adopt pomp and ceremonies of Persian court

12. Political Fragmentation • In 10th century third caliph in Cairo, Egypt • North Africa: Berbers (11th cent.) • Turkey, Iraq, Syria: • Abbasids rely increasingly on mamluks (slaves used as warriors) • Turkic slave soldiers gain political power • Seljuk Turks (11th century) create empire, are “protectors“ of the caliphs, but hold de-facto political power • Turkey, Holy Land, Syria: Crusading states(1099-1250), (Do not survive permanently) • Middle East: Mongols (1258 sack of Baghdad, end of Caliphate)

14. Islamic Law • Sunna: tradition of the prophet • Hadith: collection of Muhammad’s words and deeds, several different strands • Quran and Hadith basis for Shari’a • Muslim ruler required to live by and enforce shari’a • Unifying effect on Muslim world • Countries under Muslim law: Dar al Islam

15. Cities • New cities and former military camps (Baghdad, Basra, Kufa, Fustat, Qayrawan) • Grow because of conversions and economic growth • Centers of Islam: mosques, schools, universities • Centers of production: Cloth, metal goods, ceramics, glass

16. Economy • International trade dominated by Muslim merchants • Banking system, checks, credit, crucial for long distance trade • Big cities provide markets for trade • Business partnerships (often with Jewish and Christian merchants) • Common currency (dinar)

17. Agriculture • Independent landowners, large estates with slaves, tenant farmers • Production for market, cash crops (sugar, citrus fruits, cotton, rice – from India and China) • Use of fertilizers, water pumps, mills, improved irrigation • Slaves used for sugar cane production

19. Science and Medicine • House of wisdom in Baghdad (Greek, Indian, Persian, Mesopotamian texts translated into Arabic) • Ibn al Haytham: Scientific Method, Book of Optics • Al-Khwarizmi: Algorithm, Algebra • Ibn Sina: Medical encyclopedia, contagious nature of diseases • Surgeons disinfect wounds, use surgical instruments, trained in hospitals

20. Technology • Transfer between east and west: • Paper, astrolabe, compass, lateen sail, decimal system • Production of steel (swords from Damascus)

21. Ibn Battuta´s Travels

22. Women and Slaves • Women veiled and confined to the house, in Byzantine and Sassanid times – not new • Legal protection of women under Quran, a woman´s soul was considered equal before Allah, but not equality to men (limited divorce rights, keep dowry if divorced by their husband, woman´s testimony in court weighs only half of a man´s, men can have up to four wives) • Slavery allowed, slaves from central Asia, Europe, Africa • Slaves used in households, as soldiers, in agriculture • Forbidden to enslave Muslims

23. Sufism • In 12th and 13th century • Mystic brotherhoods looking for union with God through rituals, emotional sense of religion, personal relationship with Allah • Sufi saints worshipped in countryside • Important in spreading Islam to other countries and making it more popular

24. Mosque in Samarra

25. Alhambra in Cordoba

26. Arches

27. Arabesques

28. Calligraphy